The Peace of Winter

I've always loved January. In Ohio, the first month of the year is usually cold and sometimes we are blessed with snow. Ideally, I like to stay home and write or spend the day reading, snuggled under a warm blanket, with a cup of tea. But like most folks, I go to work each day.

Nevertheless, I find ways to relish the beauty of winter. I appreciate the frozen scenery as I trek to work after a winter snow. I nestle in my living room after supper and share the time at home with my husband and dogs. And I write. I don't spend as much time outside, so that gives me more time
to rattle the keyboard and bring my ideas to life.

This January is no different. I'm working on my new work-in-progress, Faith, Hope and Hot Chocolate. I've returned to Turtle Creek to see what God has in store for Lily June and Finn.

I hope you stay warm and enjoy the peace of winter.

I Don't Usually Write this Kind of Blog Post...but this is important

Sirens blared as I waited on my husband to meet me at McDonald’s. We’d driven separately to attend the Christmas Eve-eve service at church. I’d gotten ahead of him in the chaos of traffic.

By the time I heard the sirens, several minutes had passed and he’d not arrived. That feeling of fear hit the pit of my stomach. If you’ve never felt that sick twist to the gut, I can tell you it’s not good. Just as panic seeped through me, the phone rang. Thankfully Tim said, “I’m okay. I’ve been in an accident, but I’m okay.” Even though I knew in my head he was okay, the fear still gripped my heart. I wanted to go to him but couldn’t because of the congested traffic. Instead, I met him at the hospital where he was checked for injury. He ended up sore and bruised.

The car didn’t fare as well. The other driver, distracted by who knows what, plowed into the back of Tim’s Honda CRV. The car was totaled.

I write this because I want to remind everyone of the dangers of texting, using an iPad, or any other distracting device while driving. I don’t know what the driver was doing or what distracted him. But I do know that driving without paying full attention to the road can be devastating. We are thankful that Tim’s injuries are not life threatening. But they could have been. The car was wrapped around him. The back of his seat broke and threw him backwards, which probably kept him from head injury. And thank goodness he wore his seatbelt.

If you get nothing else out of this, please use common sense, pay full attention and don’t text while you drive. 

Greetings

Romancing Christmas: Carriage Rides in the Snow

When I think of carriage rides, I picture Cinderella stepping out of her magically transformed pumpkin with her dress flowing over her glass slippers. I remember watching Lady Diana and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, in their wedding carriages. There’s just something about the horses clip-clopping through the park with the distinguished coachman sitting atop the seat that sings romance.

One of the most romantic Christmas gifts I’ve ever received from my husband was a carriage ride through a near-by city on a snowy December evening. The Christmas lights glowed in the store windows as holiday music floated through the streets. The horses seemed to clomp in time to the music, and the driver treated us like royalty. As snowflakes floated in the air, we snuggled to stay warm.  His kind gesture filled my heart with love.

Many village Christmas celebrations and the downtown city areas offer carriage or sleigh rides. What a fine activity to share with your Christmas sweetheart.

Jesus Light

Romancing Christmas: That Romantic Glow

They walked hand in hand as snowflakes danced around the twinkling lights on the low pines. Is there anything more romantic than sharing the beauty of Christmas lights on a dark evening with the one you love? Maybe, but it’s definitely in the top five.

The lights in our local park.

In 1880, Thomas Edison hung the first string of electric lights outside his laboratory in Menlo Park. Two years later, his friend and partner, Edward H. Johnson, draped a string of electric colored lights around their indoor Christmas tree in 1882. His family found delight in the colorful novelty. Although electric lights were not the norm for several years, they did eventually catch on and become more affordable.

Now we see extravagant light displays all over the country. From Rockefeller center to small town parks, sparkling colors and white lights twinkle in the night. My husband and I enjoy driving around the neighborhood to admire our neighbors’ displays. We enjoy walking in the park and seeing the decorated trees.

Romance + Lights =

·         Stroll through a light display together

·         Decorate the tree together

·         Sit by the Christmas tree with a cup of cocoa

·         Take an evening drive and view the lights

·         Go to the town tree lighting ceremony together

Enjoy the glow of the season.

Merry Christmas to You by Sidewalk Prophets

“Lights, please.  "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field…” Linus Van Pelt’s childlike voice filled my car. And I loved it.

Sometime in early November, I listened to a radio interview on K-Love with David Frey, the lead singer of Sidewalk Prophets. He talked about making their new album, Merry Christmas to You. They had wrapped up the music and thought they had everything ready to go when the producers realized they needed to ask the voice of Linus for permission to use the monologue. Unfortunately he had passed away. But, at the last minute they reached his wife and added Linus’s voice to their wonderful new Christmas album.

The music exudes joy as it celebrates the season with fun and reverence. I’ve enjoyed the four new songs the group composed as well as their renditions of familiar songs and carols. This is a great CD for family time in the car or to decorate the tree by. I liked it so much that I bought it for my daughters, and they all gave it a thumbs up.

Link to the story behind Oh What a Glorious Night: http://www.sidewalkprophets.com/becauseitschristmas

Do you have a favorite Christmas Album or CD? Please share.